Mining/Geology

Fuller’s Spiral Slide Rule [Calculator] – Manufacturer W.F. Stanley, London

Invented by George Fuller, Professor of Engineering at Queens’s College Belfast, patented in 1878.

The rule consists of a logarithmic scale of numbers spiral wound in the form of a helix; the scale is 500 inches [circa 42 feet] in length having 7,250 divisions. This rule is therefore equivalent to a straight slide rule twice that length or c 84 feet. If you understand the principle – it’s the [lack of] length of a slide rule that inhibits accuracy. It can be held in one hand while performing calculations or fixed on the removable brass holder if more convenient. The mahogany box is true to the instrument and has felt covered fittings to protect it in transit. The original instruction booklet is still with the instrument.

The manufacturer was W.H. Stanley at one time the biggest instrument maker in the World. Stanley a Fellow of all the right Societies was an architect and had near 100 patents to his name.

This instrument is one of the last manufactured, which probably accounts for its pristine condition. We can date it to 1965 for two reasons. First, all instruments were numbered at the bottom of the B cursor, and this one is serial number 13111 and below that stamped 65 for 1965. Secondly, there is a magnificent paper published by the esteemed Oughtred Society [Look it up] which gives excellent background information on the instrument and provides a graph of the serial numbers and dates of a good sample from No 1 in 1884 to number 13688 in 1973 – so you can see that ours is placed right in the twilight zone.

We find it interesting that only 14,000 instruments were ever made over a period of 90 years. After a slowish start and an end tail-off the graph of units made is pretty steady with a bit of a jolt during WWI and WWII. Your guess is right it was killed pretty dead by Hewlett Packard.

We haven’t gone into full details of how the instrument is constructed and functions, but we do have information in our Research Section, and you can always look up the aforementioned “Oughtred” reference – best information going – forget Wiki.

In terms of size the box is 46 cm x 12 cm x 11 cm. The rule is 43 cm long 9 cm in diameter.. Total weight around 2 kgs.

A postage supplement may be required dependent on location of buyer.

Fullers system of spiral slide rule – top of the pile and an instrument of some beauty

$690.00

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A Strange Career – The Life and Adventures of J. G. Jebb [South America and Mexico] – 1895

John Gladwyn Jebb led as an adventurous life as could be possible. This book was compiled by his widow and carries the introduction of adventure writer H Rider Haggard.

Jebb’s adventures began as a military man in India. Soon he was conducting privately funded explorations into Central and Southern America. Involved in numerous business dealings… helped to start White Line … was in involved in armaments. He moved to the US and the Wild West … bear hunting, gold mining and a few conflicts with local bandits and native Americans. Off to Mexico to make his fortune gold mining (made it and lost it) and much of the later part of the books is about his times in Mexico.

Published by Blackwood, Edinburgh in 1895 octavo, 271 pages, frontispiece of the great man, illustrated by John Wallace. Pictorial boards nice but a little rubbed. Overall, still a particularly good copy of a rather hard to find book.

Inspiration for Rider Haggard – John Jebb Adventurer

$50.00

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Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1885 [Including Johnston’s Coloured Geological Map of Tasmania]

Printed at the “Mercury” in 1886 a first published. An important journal containing a number of geological papers including Ore at Mt Bischoff by Baron Von Grodeck and some on coal measures. At the end we have Johnston’s Geological Table showing the proposed classification of stratified rock in Tasmania and his rather superb large, folding coloured sketch map of the General Geological Features of Tasmania.

Other papers that may be of interest include … an Eclipse on March 30^th 1885 by Biggs; Mosses by Bastow; Tasmanian Earth Tremors also by Biggs; Fossil Plants by the aforementioned Johnstone.

Original soft wrappers, clxi pages followed by 407 pages including a good index. A very solid edition to support the substantial content.

Scarce 1885 Journal with map often missing.

$120.00

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Brecciated Mookaite – Mooka Springs Western Australia

A small but attractive piece of Mookaite with the distinctive mosaic pattern of cream and brown separated by ever so thin layers of opal. Special texture.

The brecciation is formed by tectonic stress applied to the Mookaite Jasper structure. Over time silica rich waters flow through the fractured structure providing the binding layer.

The jasper structure is formed from the fossilised remains of tiny Radiolaria a creature we know well at Voyager through our interest in microscopy.

7cm by 5cm by 2.5cm weighing 15gm.

Small piece of Mooka and millions of radiolaria.

$20.00

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Australian Desert Rose – Unusual Gypsum Formation

A nice example of a Gypsum desert rose dug out of the dry lakebed at Woolcunda Station, Coomba, NSW. The location is 125 km south of Broken Hill.

Iron oxide in the sand gives its colouring but it’s the special formation of the crystals [formed by infrequent leaching when the rains actually come] that makes this special.

A nice even sided display, weighing 40 gm and measuring 10cm by 6cm by 4cm

Desert Rose with a very attractive structure.

$35.00

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Mount Morgan – Centenary of First Gold Discovery in 1882 – Rockhampton 1982 (Duplicate)

A nice example of the interesting medal struck by the Rockhampton Coin Club and made in Brisbane by A.J. Parkes in 1982.

An uncirculated commemorative, 40 mm diameter, 40gms in copper alloy. Strong relief and a super example.

The obverse carries a design by artists Don Taylor of a miner / prospector on his knee observing his gold pan with some intensity, other mining accoutrements in the background. On the reverse we have an image taken from a 1908 photograph of the working mine … an image all too familiar to Voyager.

Still with its original information with its brief history of the Mine.

Mighty Mount Morgan commemorated in medal form, and it deserves it!

$50.00

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Fuller’s Spiral Slide Rule [Calculator] – Manufacturer W.F. Stanley, London

A Strange Career – The Life and Adventures of J. G. Jebb [South America and Mexico] – 1895

Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania – 1885 [Including Johnston’s Coloured Geological Map of Tasmania]

Brecciated Mookaite – Mooka Springs Western Australia

Australian Desert Rose – Unusual Gypsum Formation

Mount Morgan – Centenary of First Gold Discovery in 1882 – Rockhampton 1982 (Duplicate)

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